Even bending the rules can you get you in hot water

I got some challenges on my Feb. 23 article, “Are the Numbers Really That Good?” They disagreed with a closing statement, “Honesty isn’t just the best policy; it’s the only policy for survival.” The challenges were nearly identical: “Sometimes you have to bend the rules to keep everything going.”

Of course, there’s a small difference between bending the rules a tiny bit and committing a felony. Few people start with a felony. They bend the rules a little bit, and each quarter they find themselves bending them a little further. They often don’t even realize when they cross the line.

Back in 2001, I agreed to be the program manager for a project at a local company. It was a nice gig, and I didn’t have to keep jumping on airplanes.

This company was started by an electrical engineer, who was brilliant at designing sophisticated hardware, but considered managing people and operations an unwelcome chore. He sold his company to a much larger conglomerate, which kept this operation as a separate division. Despite the brilliance of the designs, they had never made money.

They received a large order from an existing customer, who was well aware that they could never deliver anything on time and under budget, but the order came with a stipulation to use a program manager from outside the company.

That’s how I got involved. I bought the latest version of Microsoft Project and began developing a Gantt Chart (a graphical project plan). It was like building a road in the middle of the jungle. It was their first experience with focused discipline of any kind.

I’m an engineer and sometimes we have great ideas, and that’s what we want to work on the next morning — let’s develop this thing while it’s still fresh in our minds. Unfortunately, we can’t do that while our customers are waiting for something else to which we are committed.

So, I would often catch them working on something else and have to bring them back to the big project. The conversation usually went something like:

“I’m really excited about this new idea, and I need a break from that project. Why do you want me to go back to it?” “Do you like your job?” “Love it.” “Do you want to keep it?” “Of course.” “Well, you know corporate has told us this project is our last chance. If we don’t deliver it on time and under budget, they’re going to shut us down. I doubt there’ll be any golden parachutes.”

(There’s seldom a need for barking orders. Explaining what you want them to do in their own self-interest is far more effective. Self-preservation is our strongest instinct, and they stay enthused.)

Well, everything worked. The first shipment went out on time and under budget.

The customer was delighted. Corporate was delighted, and most importantly, our employees were delighted. It was their first real victory.

We stayed focused and kept on delivering.

I was suddenly made division general manager and I wasn’t even an employee. Of course, they would fix that with stock options and everything else.

Throughout the project, I had gotten monthly visits from the executive vice president and his comptroller. They were nervous, as I think their jobs were on the line as they had recommended buying this outfit in the beginning.

Eventually, I got a visit from the comptroller. I had turned this financial drain into a money-maker, but they weren’t satisfied.

It seems corporate wasn’t making its numbers and needed more revenue. He wanted me to claim orders that weren’t even started as built and shipped. I explained that was a losing game, as we’d be digging a hole for the next quarter, making those numbers impossible to make.

“Don’t worry. We’ll take care of you. You have to be a team player.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t do that. It’s dishonest, and I’m not that kind of guy.”

He flew back to New York, and I was summarily fired shortly after. They gave me a month’s notice so my staff could pick my brain, and I helped them learn as much as I could.

Shortly after I left, I got a call from one of my engineers. The comptroller had been fired and arrested. A couple of weeks later, another call explained the executive VP had also been fired. He was arrested, too. Thankfully, I didn’t have to join that party.

It’s true: “Honesty isn’t just the best policy; it’s the only policy for survival.”

Ronald J. Bourque, a consultant and speaker from Salem, has had engagements throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He can be reached at 603-898-1871 or RonBourque3@gmail.com.